The whole third world thing. I can watch scary/sad movies, but I can't watch the news. I'm not kidding, everything bad in the news - and it's not news if it's good - it just kills me! It absolutely horrifies me what some people can do to other people. I'm serious, I break down when I watch the news. And when I listen to it on the radio. I can't understand how some people can go through so much pain and how flipant people here can be with their opportunities.
It scares me.
Other than that, Mark, you didn't answer my question. I already get the whole God/Satan thing. I don't think He left us without guidance - 'Cept in the dark ages, and that was our own fault. There are a lot of pointers to keep us happy - not only when we die, but here as well. And we are not left bereft of Him. I don't have a big 'ol spiritual testimony about a lot of things, but prayer is one of them. As a woman - or a girl, pick one - I can't have the priesthood. I can't rase people from the dead and I can't heal the sick. But I can ask. I can ask Him for help - and I'm not talking wishy washiness - and I get results. I know that's a [different] way of putting it, but it's true. There have been WAY too many times where I've had prayers answered to honestly believe it was all a coincedence - and that's saying something, 'cause I didn't believe in a God a while back. My Mom says I'm faithful - I guess more so than others. Hogwash. I'm the most stiffnecked person I've ever met. But you know that scripture? "Ask and ye shall recieve, knock and it shall be opened unto you"? He wasn't lying... If you don't know something you want to Mark, I'd suggest praying.
'K, 'bout the devil and Hell, I think a lot of people have an obscured view of it. It's not fire and brimstone. It's damnation. It's your growth being stunted. I was taught (now just try to imagine this for a second - I know you're of a different religious affiliation, but try me on this 'K?) that there are three degrees of glory - check out Revelations and read Isaiah (if you can manage) - Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial. Telestial is basically Hell. That's where the lowest go but you're not hanging out with the devil. He's in outer darkness and you'd have to work REALLY hard at being bad to get there. In fact, your odds are slim to none. Telestial is where the "worst" people of the world go. Stalin's gonna be there I'll bet you anything. It's a little better than here. You still have the same problems you have on earth because you never transcended this state. God the father and Jesus Christ do not go here. They cannot visit, it is too wicked. Their prescence wouldn't be appreciated besides. The Holy Ghost can.
Terrestrial is where the good men of the Earth go. It's nice but it's not Celestial. Christ can reside here. Celestial is where God the Father lives and it is His prescence you are constantly in. In order to get there you have to do more than "be good". You have to obey commandments. You have to be clean which means constant repentance. You have to have certain ordinances. The Abrahamic Covenant is one. The priesthood is another.
'K, so now that I've spouted all this stuff (and I dare say any one of you believed it in the slightest) my point is Mark, Hell is not fire and brimestone. You've already gotten this far - you cannot go back to the devil's state. He doesn't have a body. You do. He is only a soul - an evil one, but still. There's no flesh. You realize that means you're worlds more powerful than he is right? He can only talk. Temptation - that's all it is. He really has a very small power. But he's clever... He tempts in apparently good things. Temptation's not at all repulsive. It's enticing. Otherwise, it wouldn't work.
Lysithea
p.s. Sorry it was so long - didn't want you to have to take a day and a half to read it. Too late. ; ] |